TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Development Council VIII - Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RDC VIII-RPMC) has inspected the Tacloban Causeway Project on 23 February 2024 to check on its progress.

This PhP4.59 billion project has two ongoing sections contracted to SUNWEST Inc. It includes a 2.57-kilometer, 4-lane road embankment with separate bike lanes, concrete canals, sidewalks, and wave deflectors on both sides. It also includes the construction of a 180-meter length bridge and five Reinforced Concrete Box Culverts (RCBCs).

The project envisions reducing travel time from Tacloban City proper to the Tacloban Airport from approximately 45 minutes to just 10 minutes. Additionally, it aims to protect the lives and property of residents from the damaging tidal surges and flooding brought about by typhoons and storms, which are regular occurrences in the region.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways in Eastern Visayas, the project is set to use an innovative construction method, using geotextile tubes, also known as "geo tubes" for the first time in the region. It will help protect the causeway from damage by water.

The tubes are made of a special permeable fabric that allows water to flow through while holding the sand or soil-fill material inside the tubes in place. It acts as a buffer to reduce erosion from waves and currents.

Moreover, it helps prevent the natural water flow around the causeway from being disrupted. This makes geo tubes an effective and environment-friendly way to build sturdy structures along coasts and rivers.

The project started on 27 February 2023 and is targeted to be completed on 23 December 2024. The overall project accomplishment stands at 4.28 percent with a -5.02 percent slippage due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The causeway will complement the ongoing Tacloban Airport Development Project supporting the City’s growth as an economic hub in the region. (Sarina Joy Odivilas/NEDA VIII-PMED)